Hot and sp-icy! Street vendor’s grilled ICE CUBES seasoned with chilli sauce become an online hit

A street food vendor has gained overnight fame after he was filmed serving a 'special' dish of grilled ice cubes at a night market in Changsha, southern China.

Footage shows the vendor 'boiling' frozen water on a barbecue before dousing it with spicy sauce, brushing it with oil and handing it to paying customers.

A customer looks bewildered as she picks up a box of ice cream, which was described as “a little burnt or soft.”

In the video you see the customer accept the food and ask: “Should I eat it while it is still warm or later when it has cooled down?”

The seller replies, “Eat it now while it's still hot.”

She described the food as 'so spicy', but followed with 'what a wonderful taste'.

According to local media reports, a single portion of the ice-cold snack costs just £1.60.

X user Ross wrote, “Grilled ice cubes just hit differently with the sriracha.”

Stunned netizens took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts.

A wrote: 'I mean, the way food prices are going up, you might as well eat spiced ice cream.'

Another joked: 'As long as they don't burn them. I like my ice cubes medium rare.'

Rose wrote: 'Grilled ice cubes just taste different with sriracha.'

Many drew comparisons to the unusual Chinese dish of stir-fried stones, which also became a viral hit earlier this year.

An user wrote: 'Bring back the baked bricks.'

The dish called Suodiu – which means to suck and throw away – has its origins in ancient China.

Suodiu reportedly dates back centuries to Hubei province in central China, where local fishermen would collect the rocks to eat when they ran out of food.

Stones are heated in a pan before being coated with spices and aromatics, including garlic and chili.

The rocks are served with a mix of vegetables, once they are soft enough to eat. It is believed that they naturally have a fishy taste, which enhances the flavor of the salad.

Local media reported that the dish was sold for £1.74 per person.

Fried ice cream does not appear to be a regional specialty.

The seller is reportedly selling each portion of ice cubes for the equivalent of £1.60

“Should I eat it while it's still warm or later when it's cooled down?” asks a customer

The ice cream is drizzled with spicy sauce and flavorings, just like the hot stones earlier this year

Notably, the chef who served Suodiu and the vendor who served grilled ice cream both wore clothes that said “Sailing Night Market.”

It was unclear whether they worked for the same store.

'What's next?' one completed critic. “Fucked air?”